respect for religious and spiritual beliefs a statement of principles of ...

II – ONTARIO AND CANADA’S PROFILE14. Canada is committed to human rights, mutual respect and the promotion ofdiversity and multiculturalism, including diversity of religious and spiritualbeliefs. Responses to the 2001 Canadian Census indicate that more than twentyfour million people in Canada, or eighty three percent of Canadians, identify asbeing of a religious or spiritual faith. In Ontario, nine and a half million people,or eighty four percent, identify as being of a religious or spiritual faith. TheCensus identifies nine majority faiths in Canada and in Ontario: Catholic,Protestant, Christian Orthodox, Christian not included elsewhere, Muslim,Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh. In addition, approximately 65,000 people inCanada, and 19,000 people in Ontario, indicated their religion as being other thanthose already listed.15. Selected Religions, Ontario and Canada (2001 Census) 15CanadaOntarioTotal population 29,639,035 11,285,550Catholic 12,936,905 3,911,760Protestant 8,654,850 3,935,745Christian Orthodox 479,620 264,055Christian not includedelsewhere780,450 301,935Muslim 579,640 352,530Jewish 329,995 190,795Buddhist 300,345 128,320Hindu 297,200 217,555Sikh 278,410 104,785Eastern religions 37,550 17,780Other religions 63,975 18,985No religious affiliation 4,900,090 1,841,29015 Statistics Canada, “Selected religions, provinces and territories (2001 Census)”, online:http://www.statcan.ca/english/Pgdb/demo30b.htm.8